Influence of water availability during incubation on hatchling size, body composition, desiccation tolerance, and terrestrial locomotor performance in the snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina.

The effects of water availability during incubation on the water contents of neonatal snapping turtles at hatching were examined, along with the influence of hatchling water content on desiccation tolerance and terrestrial locomotor performance. The water contents of hatchlings from eggs incubated on wet substrates were both absolutely and proportionally greater than were those of hatchlings from eggs incubated on dry substrates. Hatchlings with greater water contents at hatching were able to survive longer and to lose more water before physiological performance was adversely affected by desiccation. Increased water contents in hatchlings with greater water availability during incubation may enhance survival by increasing the amount of water the animal can afford to lose before dehydration begins to adversely affect whole animal performance.